Lighting fixture bracket



Jana MP 1950 .J. A. BUCK ZAQQAZQ LIGHTING FIXTURE BRACKET Filed June 9, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jane w, 195%) .1. A. BUCK LIGHTING FIXTURE BRACKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 9, 1948 I/WENTOR. dale oh A. 506A AMI... ATTGRA/[Y Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES OFFICE LIGHTING FIXTURE BRACKET Joseph A. Buck, Toledo, Ohio Application June 9, 1948, Serial No. 31.9.69

1 Claim. 1

This invention rel-ates to lighting fixture mountings, but particularly to wall or ceiling brackets for supporting lighting fixtures, and an object is to produce a simple and efiicient lighting fixture bracket having separable parts, one of which is permanently mounted in a side wall or ceiling, and the other part of which may be readily and conveniently attached to the permanently mounted member without the aid of tools or separate fastenings, and which is adapted to be detached as desired, thereby enabling the latter to be separately attached to one of a number of permanently mounted side wall or ceiling bracket parts as desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown on the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a two-part lighting fixture bracket showing one of the parts permanently connected to the ceiling and joists or side wall studding, as the case may be;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a lighting fixture bracket member with a lighting fixture attached thereto, parts being broken away for purposes of clarity;

Figure 4 is a sectional view substantially on the line :i l of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a lighting fixture bracket member with a lighting fixture mounted thereon, parts being broken away for purposes of clarity and also to show the ears struck from the mounting plate to aid in the supporting of the fixture particularly when the bracket member is used in vertical position such as on a side wall; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view substantially on the line 6--6 of Figure 5.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a mounting for lighting fixtures, com pris ng a permanently mounted unit A and a separable unit B. The unit A comprises a metallic plate or disc I which has a pair of oppositely disrosed outwardly extending ears I I through which screws 52 extend through the plaster and lath to the studding [3 in the case of a sidewall, or o sts in the case of a ceiling. Secured to the inner face of the disc Ill in any suitable manner, as by welding. is a metallic cup l4 provided with an outer annular wall I which snugly fits between adjacent studding or joists. Integral with 2 the outer end of the annular wall I5 is a bottom wall 55 with which an inner annular wall ll, par-* allel with the outer wall I5, is integral. The free end of the wall I? is suitably secured to the disc plate Ill;

Interposed between the wall l6 and disc plate iii is a plurality of tubes l8 which are equidistantly spaced. In this instance, four tubes l8 are employed. The opposite ends of the tubes are welded or otherwise suitably secured at their ends, and preferably these tubes are of steel or other suitable material. An aperture I9 is formed in the side wall of each tube and a snap spring member 23 is fixed, as by welding, to the outer wall of each tube with a curved end portion extending yieldingly into the aperture IQ for purpose hereinafter to be described.

A disc 2i of suitable electrical insulating material such as Bakelite, hard rubber or other simi lar material, is mounted adjacent the disc plate lEl within the inner walls l1, suitable lugs 22 being provided for securing the disc in place. A pair of tubes 23 extend through the insulating disc 2i and are of copper or other suitable electrical conducting material. Each of the tubes is formed with an integral spring tongue 24 which normally extends toward the interior of the tube for a purpose hereinafter to be described. Each tube 23 registers with an opening 25 in the disc plate iii. Electrical current is delivered to the tubes 23 from leads 26 which are connected to washer-like members 21 which are of conducting material and which intimately engage the outer walls of the tubes 23. Screws 28 not only anchor the washer-like members 21 to the insulat ng disc 2 I, but also provide set screws for connecting the termini of the leads 26.

As shown in Figure 2, the disc plate I0 is provided with a series of apertures 29 for receiving screws for particular use in connection with the mounting of the disc plate H! on the ceiling where additional support may be desirable.

The unit B of the lighting fixture mounting comprises a disc plate 30 to which a lighting fixture L may be suitably securedas by screws 3i.

In the case of ceiling fixtures, the screws 3| may be suiiici ntly elongate in order to connect to a joist, for example, to assist in supporting the load. Any suitable lighting fixture may be employed, and. since the details of its structure form no part of the present invention, further description is not considered necessary. For example, it may constitute a fluorescence tube contained within a translucent Home 32 and to opposite ends of which lead wires 33.

The disc plate 30 is formed with an annular series of metallic pins or posts 33 which are equidistantly spaced and arranged to enter the tubes 18 respectively. The outer end portion of each pin 34 is rounded as indicated at 35, and has a reduced neck 36, the springs 20 being shaped to conform to the reduced neck 36 and to snap into engagement therewith when the pins 34 have been sufficiently inserted into the tubes I8. Thus the pins 3 in cooperation with the spring elements 20 serve to retain the lighting fixture in place. However, the unit B may be separated from the unit A as will be readily understood, the rounded end portions 35 of the pins serving to cam the spring elements 20 outwardly to release the unit B from engagement with the unit A. It will be manifest that the cooperative camming surfaces of the spring elements 20 and the curvilinear necks 36 and the curvilinear end portions 35 are such as to provide a take-up to compensate for irregularities and to retain the unit B in intimate engagement with the disc plate IU of the unit A.

A central opening 31 is formed in the disc plate 30 and coverin this opening and disposed on the inner side of the disc plate 30 is a disc 38 of electrical insulating material, the edge portions of which overlap the opening 31. A series of tongues 39a which may be struck from the body of the disc plate 30, engage the insulating disc 38 and hold it in place. Carr ed by the insulating disc 38 is a pair of pins 39 which project at right angles therefrom and for telescoping engagement with the tubes 23. The pins 39 are of electrical conducting material such as copper and have reduced end portions 40 wh ch extend through holes in the disc 38. these end portions having screw-threaded sockets to receive screws 4| serving as binding posts for the leads or wires 33. Adjacent the end portion of each of the pins 39 is a reduced neck 42 which merges into adjacent portions by curvilinear surfaces in order to receive the curved end port-on of the spring 24, thereby to provide an electrical connection between the pins 39 and the tubes 23. The springs 24 also cooperate with the pins 39 in assisting in holding the unit B in its position of use.

As shown in Figure 5, the d sc plate 30 may be provided with integral upstanding ears 43 against which integral flanges 44 on the disc plate I!) are adapted to bear, thereby to assist in taking the vertical load of the unit B, particularly where the unit B is mounted on a vertical side wall. Preferably the cars 43 and flanges 44 are struck from the body of the disc plates and although any suitable number may be employed, two sets are ordinarily sufilcient for the purpose.

From the above description, it will be manifest that I have produced an exceedingly simple and inexpensive lighting fixture mounting which not only lends itself to economical manufacture on a quantity basis, but also may be readil and conveniently installed in position of use, particularly in connection with new building structures. An important advantage resides in the fact that a number of the units A can be installed in the side walls or ceilings of a room so that the lighting fixture carrying unit B can be selectively positioned as desired. In the event it is desired to change the lighting fixture from one position to another, this may be readily accomplished without the use of special tools, or if it is desired to increase or decrease the number of lighting fixtures within the room, this, too, can be achieved without difficulty.

It is to be understood that numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and operation may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A lighting fixture mounting comprising a pair of detachable members, one member constituting a supporting member and the other a supported member, said supporting member comprising a face plate, fasteners for securing the plate to a supporting wall, a cup-shaped member on the inner side of the plate having a pair of parallel spaced continuous inner and outer Walls and an end wall integrally connecting said spaced walls, a plurality of supporting tubes secured at opposite ends to said end wall and face plate respectively, said face plate having openings registering with said tubes, each tube having a side wall aperture, a spring arm secured to the outer side of each tube having an end portion extending into the side wall aperture, a disc of electrical insulating material secured to said inner wall, a pair of electrical conducting tubes extending through said discs, each tube having a spring-like finger normally extending within the tube, means for conveying electrical current to said tubes respectively, said face plate having apertures registering with said tubes, said other member comprising a plate adapted to abut flatly against said face plate, posts having one end fixed to said plate and arranged to extend into said supporting tubes respectively, each post having a reduced neck portion for snap engagement by the respective spring arm for yieldably retaining the posts within the supporting tubes, pins projecting from said plate for insertion into said conducting tubes, said pins having reduced necks for engagement by said tube fingers respectively, said pins being of electrical conducting material, a mounting for said pins carried by said plate, a lamp housing carried by said plate, and wires leading respectively from said pins for energizing a lamp within the lamp housing.

JOSEPH A. BUCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

